Wheeled-figure toy



Feb. 14, 1928.

L. L. WITTER WHEELED FIGURE TOY Filed April 18. 1927 1% Iwverwlof WPatented Feb. 14, 1928.

nsane eArnN'r OFFICE.

LAWRIE L. WIT'I'ER, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

wnnnnnn-rreuan TOY.

Application filed April 18,1927. Serial at. 184,727.

This invention relates to toys and more especially to wheeled figuretoys. It is well known that a moving figure toy'which simulates themovements and sounds of the figure animal in life is most attractive.Furthermore, achild is more especially delighted with a figure toy inwhich he can cause different movements and sounds at will. It istherefore the primary object ofniy invention w to provide a figure toyconstructed to be opera-ted in this manner.

Itis a further object ot invention to provide a wheeled figure toy orthe above type and means whereby the said dilierent movements andsoundsof the toy are optionally controlled from the means by which the toy ismoved along. I

More specifically my figure toy embodies a pair of rollers and acooperating; movable weight whereby one or the other of the rollers canhe brought into supporting engagement in a manner optionally operatingmech anisms connected to the rollers, the location of the weightpreferably being controlled by W5 the means by which the toy is moved.

In the accompanying drawinrrl have illustrated certain specificembodiments of my invention but it will be understood that the inventioncan be otherwise embodied and that the drawing is not to be construed asdefining or limiting the scope of the invention the claims appendedhereto being; relied upon for that purpose.

Referring to the figures of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of my invention Fig. 2 is abottom plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross section taken online lII-III of Fig. 1.

4 is a cross section taken on line lV-IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal Section therethrough.

Fig. 6 is a view like Fig. 5 but showing a modification of theinvention.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5 ol the drawinn, 1 indicates the bodyportion of the toy,

This body is preferably made of wood and may be a duck, as illustrated,or any animal or figure desired. The body is supported on 513 a pair ofrollers 2 adapted to ride on a sup-- port 3. These rollersare centrallydisposed whereby they normally balance the weight of thebody.

' The under side ot the 'front portion of the body 1s chambered toreceive a roller 4; and o a palr of cranks 5 on the ends iota shaftfisecured to the roller. I have illustrated these cranks as adapted toflap the wings '4'. Each w ng 7 is supported on. apairot arms 8 mountedon a shaft 9. One arm 10 of each pair extends inwardly as shown in Fig.1 and is counterbalanced by a spring 11 in a manner rendering theflapping operation very easy. A link 12 connects each crank 5 to1tsrespective arm 10. Obviously when the 501161 4 is rotated the wings 7are caused to The under side of the rear. portion of the body ischambered in like manner to receive a roller 13 and a pair of cranks 14on the ends of a shaft 15 secured to the roller. I have illustratedthese cranks as adapted to move the feet 16 to simulate swimming. The

feet are preferably made large and broad 7 i and are carried on legs 17pivoted to a shaft- 18. The cranks operate in slots in the legs as theroller 13 rotates and oscillate the legs as will bennderstood. It shouldbe particularly noted that the body 1 is so chambered 89 that only thebroad feet 16 areseen. the roller It? and other operating mechanismbeing hidcen.

A bore 19 is formed longitudinally in the back of body 1 directly overthe axis 01'' the supporting rollers 2 and a weight 20 is mounted toslide in this bore. When the weight is in the position illustrated inFig. 5 the roller 13 will rest on the support 3 and movement of the duckwill rotate this roller and move the feet 16 to simulate swimming.

Whenthe weight is moved to the front end of the bore 19 the roller 4will rest on the support 3 and movement of the duck will rotate thisroller and flap the wings to simulate flying.

I also prefer to control the position of the weight 20 by the meanswhich moves the toy.

As illustrated, the duck is d awn along by a double cord 21. The topcord is attached to the front of the weight and the bottom cord isattached to the rear of the weight and extends about a sheave 22.Pulling the duck by means of the top cord shifts the weight forwardlyand causes the wings to flap and pulling the duck by means of the bottomcord shifts the weight rearwardly and causes the duck to swim.

In Fig. 6 I show a slightly modified .t'orm of my invention. In thisillustration one end 23 of the body is made in the form of a duck andthe other end 24 is made in the form of a chicken. The body is balancedon rollers 25 and cooperating rollers 26 and 27 are provided. The roller26 is connected to and adapted to operate a noise making device such asa bellows 28 which produces a ducks quack. The roller 27 has a notchedportion 29 on which rides a spring member 30 which produces a chickenscackle. A weight 31 like the weight 20 is adapted to control theposition and operation of the toy. Cords 32 and 33 are attached toopposite ends of the weightand moving the toy by one or the other of thecordsis adapted to shift the weight and operate the respective soundingdevices as will be understood.

Itwill of course be understood that the accon'ipanying drawing is onlyfor the purpose of illustratingthe principle of the invention, the scopeof which is defined by the appended claims. The toy is provided withmovable parts adapted to be operated by the rollers 4, 13, 26 and 27,the movable parts being illustrated as wings and feet in Figs. 1 to 5and as noise-making parts in Fig. 6. The rollers 4, 13, 26 and 27 can bemade to operate any desired mechanisms on the toy and the rollers can bebrought into operation by any desired means and in any desired manner.

I claim:

1. A figure toy comprising the combination of a body member havingmovable parts, means mounting the member for traveling movement on asupport, a pair of rollers adjacent the said means, one of said rollersbeing normally out of engagement with the support, two differenttoy-part moving mechanisms respectively connected to and adapted to beoperated by the rotation of the rollers, and means for optionallybringing one or the other of the said rollers into engage meat with thesupport in a manner coopcrating with the first mentioned means tomorably support the toy and operate the said mechanism connected to theengaged roller as such roller is rotated by movement of the toy alongthe support.

2. A figure toy coniprising the combination of a body member havingmovable parts, means mounting the member for travcling movement on asupport, rollers respectively at opposite sides of the said means, oneof said rollers being normally out of engagement with the support, twodiiterent toy-part moving mechanisms respectively connected to andadapted to be operated by the rotation of the rollers, and a weightcarried by the toy and adapted to be moved to positions bringing one orthe other of the said rollers into engagement with the support in amanner cooperating with the first mentioned means to movably support thetoy and operate the said mechanism connected to the engaged roller assuch roller is rotated by movement of the toy along the support.

8. A figure toy comprising the combination of a body member havingmovable parts, means mounting the member for travclingrmovement on asupport and so disposed as to substantially balance the toy thercabout,rollers respectively at opposite sides of the said means and adapted tocooperate therewith to carry the toy,the rollers and means being sorelated that the toy is supported by the said means and one or the otherof the said rollers, toy-part moving mechanism connected to and adaptedto be operated by the rotation of the rollers, and a weight carried bythe toy and adapted to be moved to positions bringing one or the otherof the said rollers into cooperating supporting relation with the saidmeans on the support. I

4. A. figure toy comprising the combination of a body member havingmovable parts, means mounting the member for traveling movement on asupport, two different toy-part moving mechanisms carried by the toy,means for manually moving the toy and movable means carried by the toyand adjust-able through the last named means to optionally cause one orthe other of the said mechanisms to be operated as the toy is movedalong the support.

5. A figure toy comprising the combina tion of a body member havingmovable parts, means mounting the member for traveling movement on asupport, a pair of rollers adjacent the said means, one of said rollersbeing normally out of engagement with the support, two ditlerenttoy-part moving mechanisms respectively connected to and adapted to beoperated by the rotation of the rollers, a weight carried by the toy andadapted to be moved to positions bringing one or the other of the saidrollers into engagement with the support, and a cord connected to theweight and adapted to move the weight to the said positions.

6. A figure toy comjn'ising the combination of a hotly member havingmovable parts,111eans mounting the member for traveling movement on asupport, a pair of rollers adjacent the said means, one of said rollersbeing normally out of engagement with the support, two differenttoy-part moving mechanisms respectively connected to and adapted to beoperated by the rotation of the rollers, means for manually mov- 1 ingthe toy along the support, and means operated by the last said means foroptionally bringing one or the other of the said rollers into engagementwith the support in a manner operating one or the other of saidmechanisms as the toy is moved along the 10 support.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LAWRIE L. WITTER.

